Doctor John – Episode 19-20 Recap

Heo Joon and Won Hee wonder if Yo Han isn’t well. The executive (Jung) picks up the bottle from the floor and asks if Yo Han is fine.

Yo Han’s vision is still hazy and he hears Si Young’s voice, “Dr Cha”. He looks to the side and sees the blurry image of Si Young walking towards him. She asks to take over from him. She reassures him that he is seeing her for real.

As she comes forward, he sees that she isn’t talking. Si Young nods her head slightly and he hears her (voiceover) saying, “Let me do it. You can trust me.”

Yo Han gathers himself and apologises to the audience for the unexpected situation. He introduces Si Young as the second-year resident whom he was talking about. He says she is more ambitious than they may think. He says she gave him a crucial hint and must want to explain it herself. Yo han hands the microphone over to her and takes his place in the audience.

Si Young introduces herself and starts by presenting the case. Yo Han remembers Si Young offering to help him the day before. She said she would do everything she can to help him. At present Yo Han is emotional as he watches Si Young continue with the presentation.

Outside, Son speaks with one of the sales executives of Zinmu Rijund. He says he is a member of death talks. She shows him another pamphlet on the stand. It is about Dalbit Foundation that is run by Zinmu Rijund. She says it is for patients with rare incurable diseases and terminally ill patients.

Meanwhile, Si Young concludes her presentation and calls herself impudent for intervening Yo Han’s presentation. In conclusion, Si Young says that though they are introducing CIPA as a rare and incurable disease, she says she doesn’t think that the disease is unique or special in any way. She says most patients at the Pain Management Centre suffer from invisible pains. She says that she learnt from Yo Han as to how to find the culprit in those patient’s bodies. She quotes, “Don’t look at the symptoms, look at the people who suffer from those symptoms. What doctors treat is not a disease but a person”. The audience breaks into applause. Si Young looks at Yo han who is clapping his hands.

Outside, the sales executive says she will introduce him to the sales team head and walks to the other side. Son notices the people walking out of the auditorium and disappears from there.

Meanwhile, Heo Joon tells Si Young that he didn’t know Yo han and she had planned that she will take over the second half of the presentation. Joo Kyung walks up to Si Young and says she was surprised to see Si Young’s amazing presentation. Dr Kwon Suk asks if Yo Han is sick. Joo Kyung says he must have been busy but he looks fine now. Kwon Suk wonders if he has stage fright. After Kwon Suk leaves, Joo Kyung says that he can’t stop finding fault.

The team sees Yo Han talking with the other doctors. Heo Joon and Mi Rae wonder if Yo Han is sick. Yoo Joon asks them all to wait outside and he will come with Yo Han after they are done. He nods reassuringly at Si Young.

Yo Han calls out her name as she is about to walk out. He asks her to join them. As she goes up to him, he says that the professors here are curious about her. Si Young greets them. The professor says she hasn’t seen a competent resident like Si Young so they wanted to meet her in person. The professors take their leave. Yoo Joon follows them out with a smile, leaving Si Young and Yo Han in the hall.

Yoo Joon doesn’t notice Son sitting nearby. He tells the team that Si Young and Yo Han asked them to leave first.

Inside the hall, Yo Han admits that he should have listened to her and agrees to see a doctor. He says he hears ringing in his ears. She pulls up her hand asking if he is running a fever but stops herself. He says he doesn’t know, as he can’t feel the temperature.

Si Young slowly places her hand on his forehead and says that he doesn’t have a fever so that is good. He says that earlier when she had come up to the stage he couldn’t tell if she was really there. He says he wasn’t sure whether she really said, “I’m here”. He says he wasn’t sure but he believed that she would be there. He says he believed that she would say that to him. Yo Han admits that he needs her help. He thanks her in advance and she smiles. She says it is her pleasure.

He says he should call it a day and go see the doctor. As he walks out she calls out to him and he turns. She says everything will be all right. She asks him to call her after seeing the doctor. He waves to her and walks away.

As he walks out, Son follows him and sees him take a cab.

Dr Shim monitors Yo han as he takes a series of tests. After the tests, Dr Shim says that they need to do more tests. He says they have to do everything they can. Yo han asks how much time he has left to live as a doctor.

(Doctor John – Foreboding on a Crisp Afternoon)

Son drives into a parking lot. He seems uncomfortable and he pops some pills.

Heo Joon asks Si-young why she is checking her phone every 30 seconds. They contemplate going for drinks. Si Young receives a message on her phone and she says she will see them later. As she runs away the others wonder if she is seeing someone. Heo Joon tries to follow her but Yoo Joon holds him back and suggests they go for a beer.

Si Young waits for the cab as she looks at Yo Han’s text, “Let’s eat. I am Hungry.” Si Young texts him back asking where to meet.

Meanwhile, the team goes out for lunch. When asked, Yoo Joon says he will stay in this hospital at least until they make him assistant professor. Heo Joon says Yoo Joon looks more like a person who starts a clinic and becomes filthily rich. Heo Joon says he has shifted his interest from anaesthesiology to pain as it has become dynamic after Yo Han came along. Heo Joon notices won Hee on the phone. He warns him not to date someone who is from their department. Yoo Joon and Mi Rae get awkward.

Won Hee shows a video on the Ambulance Wish Foundation in the Netherlands. He says they grant wishes for terminally ill patients. Mi Rae says she had seen it earlier. The elderly man’s wish was to go to the beach and eat ice cream. Heo Joon says it is such a simple wish. He shows the pictures of other patients whose wishes were fulfilled. Won Hee says everyone wished for something simple. Yoo Joon says they probably missed the days they were healthy.

Won Hee says they should probably do the same thing for Yoo Ri Hye. He says it is the least he can do as her fan and doctor. Mi Rae is surprised when everyone agrees. They strike a deal.

At Subway eatery, Yo Han orders an egg mayo sandwich and a barbecue chicken sandwich. Si-young spots Yo han from outside. She smiles brightly as she mirrors his footsteps from outside as he walks along the counter. She mirrors his expressions too. He walks out after collecting the order and she closely follows him, her smile never leaving her face.

She asks him cheerfully as to where they are going. He turns around and suggests going to a nearby park. Si Young agrees and starts walking. He watches her with a smile and then joins her.

(Yo Han Opens His Mind To Si Young)

As they reach the park, Si Young acts as Yo Han’s human shield whenever someone comes near them. Yo Han is amused at this and starts smiling. He says she is overreacting. She says it doesn’t hurt to be careful. He asks if she forgot that she asked him if he had hypochondria (Obsession with the idea of having a serious but undiagnosed medical condition.). He smiles as she explains that she didn’t know his condition back then.

She asks him what the doctor said. He says the doctor will call him after the results of the comprehensive tests are back. She is concerned as she asks if that is it and he nods. He suggests they eat.

They sit on a bench in the park and he passes the drink to her asking if she always wanted to be a doctor. She says she didn’t. She says she wanted to own a comic book store. She says they used to have an attic in their old house. She says she used to read comic books there and it felt comfortable like she was in another world.

Yo Han says it would’ve suited her. He asks her what would have suited him. She says she can’t imagine him as anyone else other than a doctor. She asks why he asking. He says he might have to quit being a doctor one day. Yo Han says he has never thought about what he would do after he quit. She asks if he is going to quit. He says he is just saying. She says he has to tell her if anything happens and he promises to do so.

Si Young says she really thinks he won’t be able to have any other job. She says he might not get paid properly if he goes for an office job. She says he might get fooled if he runs his own business. She adds that he may go bankrupt if he opens a restaurant. She laughs as he asks if she is complimenting him or cursing him. They start eating the sandwiches.

Son is at the bookstore. He picks up the book titled “The category of Medicine and Bioethics”. The quote inside reads, “Can we become happy by prolonging our lives with the help of medical practice”. He sees that it is authored by Lee won Gil. He receives a call from Eun Jeong. He tells her to meet him at the gallery.

She joins Son inside the gallery. He tells her that Dalbit is a foundation that executes social contribution for patients with rare diseases and terminally ill patients. He says he thinks the same company funds it too. He stops in front of a painting and wonders why he is agitated seeing it. Eun Jeong says the painting resembles the company logo. She says the painting’s name looks like a weird code. They look at the painting (signed Hui won).

Later, Son sits in his car and flips through the book he bought and figures something out.

He rushes into the gallery despite the security personnel saying that it is closed. He runs up to the painting and opens the book to the page which reads, “Written at Huiwonjae as I wait for spring to come. – Lee Won Gil”. Son sees the painting by Hui won. Son intently stares at the painting.

Lawyer Han drives up to a Lee Won Gil’s residence and he reaches to unclasp his seatbelt. He notices his hand trembling, as he is unable to undo his seatbelt. Just then, a car that was parked in front of his car, drives past him.

Han walks in and asks Lee if it was the doctor who just left. Lee confirms this and says that the doctor has the output. He says humans think pain is their worst enemy and fear in life. He says pain is what makes us fight and achieve. Han says he found it at the end of dreadful pain. He says Kerobim is the medicine that is perfect in every way.

Yo Han walks Si Young home. She asks him to go home safely. As she walks away, he says that he will try not to make her worry. Si Young smiles. Yo Han waits as she walks in. She turns around and smiles at him before walking up the stairs. She walks upstairs and looks at him again. He waves and walks away.

Si Young watches from her window as he walks away. Just then, she receives a message saying “Join us, Dr Kang”. It has a photo of Mi Rae, Heo Joon, Yoo Joon and Won Hee holding a sign ‘Hanse Wish Club’. She then sees the video of the elderly man’s wish in the Netherlands.

Later, they show the video to Yoo Ri Hye’s sister. The sister is happy but she wonders if Yoo Ri Hye would want anything. She says Yoo Ri Hye has lost her will. When they are persistent, she says that Yoo is refusing to see her too. She asks Si Young to ask Yoo. The others also ask her to do it. Mi Rae smiles and nods at Si Young.

Meanwhile, Yo Han does his daily tests.

(Episode 20)

Yo Han waits for the results in his room.

Si Young walks into Yoo Ri Hye’s room and asks her if everything is okay. Yoo says it is. Si Young says that a doctor in her department is a huge fan of Yoo. She says their team has decided to grant Yoo a wish. She slowly asks if there is anything that Yoo needs or wants and asks her to let them know anytime.

Si Young comes out and her team is waiting. Yoo’s sister thanks them for coming up with this anyway. They all walk away.

Yoo Ri Hye lies awake in her bed.

A doctor walks into Yoo’s room. He increases the speed of the IV ( painkillers) excessively. The dosage of painkillers increases drastically. The doctor is Cha Yo Han. Eun Jeong wakes up from the nightmare with a start. It looks like she fell asleep in her office.

Meanwhile, Chief Min stands beside her husband. She says she wanted to try everything. She says she tried surgeries, medicines and even hooked him up to machines. She says she thought that was the right way to fight for him but it is not. She sits beside him and holds his hand. She cries as she says she was afraid to admit there was nothing she could do for him and let him go.

Joo Kyung walks in and asks when Min will tell her daughters. Min says she will tell them soon. Joo Kyung says Si Young will understand but Mi Rae won’t. Min says she must tell Mi Rae first or she will only resist. Joo Kyung volunteers to tell Mi Rae and Min accepts it.

At Yi Moon’s office, Chief Min tells Yi Moon that she wants the ethics commission closed to the public and to consult Lawyer Han on the legal details. Yi Moon agrees to prepare everything. Min says they will have to conduct a board meeting to select a new board Chairman. Yi Moon smiles as he says they should do that.

Yo han receives a message from Dr Shim asking him to come as soon as possible as the results are out. Yo Han’s is deep in thought as the kettle switches off. He reads a message from Si Young asking him to come out.

Yo Han gets ready and goes out to see Si Young waiting in her car. She smiles brightly and waves at him. He smiles as he walks up to the car. She says she will drive him to work. He notices that there is a layer of dust on the car’s windshield. She explains that the car has been sitting idle for a few years. She adds that it gave no problem while she drove here.

Yo Han asks if she is sure it gave no problems. She realises that the dusty windshield was the reason her vision was blurry while driving. She fumbles around with the controls and switches on the wipers which come on in full swing. She is flustered as she doesn’t know how to stop the wipers. She starts yelling to him for help and he can’t stop smiling.

Yo Han comes around the car and gets into the passenger seat. He turns off the wipers with a smile. He tells her to drive to Gyeongeo University Hospital as his results are out. Si Young becomes serious. He says he hasn’t seen them yet and tells her not to give that look. She gathers herself and starts driving. Yo Han switches on the stereo which plays Chopin’s piano piece.

As they reach the hospital, Yo Han tells her that Yoo Joon is in charge of outpatients. He asks her to work hard. She asks if she can come in with him. He says she can’t. He tells her to drive back safely and to not turn on the wipers instead of blinkers. She watches him as he gets out of the car and walks into the hospital.

Meanwhile, Yoo Joon sits across his mother and has his breakfast at the restaurant. She passes him a talisman and Yoo Joon loses it. He says he doesn’t believe in talismans. She says she has been having weird dreams lately and asks him to take it. He takes the talisman and walks away. His mother takes her husband’s picture and asks him to looks after their son.

In the Pain Centre, Won Hee says that Yoo wants to see her son and her sister will be bringing him. Won Hee lays out some stuffed toy hats and says that children are scared of hospitals so they should look friendly. Yoo Joon pulls the hat over Won Hee’s head and says he will keep the centre under control while Won Hee does what he can best. Si Young and Mi Rae start laughing.

(The results of Yo Han’s Checkup)

Mi Rae and Si Young bring flowers and a teddy bear to Yoo’s room as it looks bare. Mi Rae explains that they are fake flowers, as they don’t allow the real ones. Yoo Ri Hye thanks them and asks Si Young if she can help her put on some lipstick. She says she will look less scary that way. Si Young puts the lipstick on for her.

Yoo Ri Hye says that she thought it would be best if her son doesn’t see what she looks like. She says she misses him a lot. Si Young says they can go see her son.

Meanwhile, Yoo Ri Hye’s sister says that the son is not coming as he is scared to see his mother. Yoo Ri Hye who walks out of the room just then overhears this and rushes back in. Her sister runs behind her asking to be allowed to explain.

The team is in the elevator as Won Hee beats himself up over starting the entire thing. Heo Joon tries to tell him his intentions were good. Won Hee asks what is the point of having good intentions when the results are rotten. He says he made her feel worse. Mi Rae says that Won Hee made her realise that there are still things they can do for terminally ill patients who don’t have much time left. She says she never thought about that before. Si Young and Heo Joon agree.

Yo Han waits outside the doctor’s room. He notices an elderly man who is trying to check his blood pressure and helps him with it. Yo han is called in.

Yo Han walks into Dr Shim’s room saying that there is a long queue outside. Shim’s eyes are fixed on the scan results. Yo Han smiles slightly.

Meanwhile, at the pain centre, the team is attending to patients when Nurse Hong gets a call regarding Yoo Ri Hye.

Dr Shim says that Yo Han doesn’t have much time left as a doctor.

Si Young, Yoo Joon and the others run upstairs. They reach the rooftop to see Yoo standing on the outer side of the railing.

Son is in his office when he receives a call from Eun Jeong. She says she had a bad feeling and came to Hanse Medical Centre. She says her hunch was right. Eun Jeong says that the day Son spoke about has come.

Yo Han learns that he has Viral Labyrinthitis (Inflammation of the inner ear or the nerves that connect the inner ear to the brain.). Dr Shim says that there is a 30% likelihood that Yo Han’s hearing will never return. He says there is a 30 % likelihood that they will never know if it will return. Yo han adds that there is a 30 % likelihood that he will make a full recovery.

Yo Han mentions that his option is a heavy dose of steroids. Dr Shim reminds him that Yo han can never take steroids as it will weaken his immune system and he will be prone to infections. Yo Han says that the time bomb can go off at any time.

Dr Shim says that Yo Han’s life could be in danger. Yo Han says he won’t get better if he doesn’t get treated and he can no longer be a doctor. Dr Shim asks if Yo Han is implying that he will put his life on the line.

On the rooftop, Yoo Joon tells Yoo Ri Hye that the entire team is by their side. She turns around and asks them if they will help her with anything as they had said earlier. Won Hee says they will.

Yo Han walks out of the hospital as Dr Shim’s voice echoes in his ears saying that Yo Han can choose how much time he has left. Shim had asked him to give up being a doctor and live longer. He had said that if Yo Han wants to continue being a doctor, he must risk all the time he has left.

Yo Han stands still and he watches the patients and the people around him

Dr Shim had asked him if Yo Han’s whole life is his career as a Doctor. He asks Yo han how he feels about the patients who go through pain when he doesn’t feel it himself. He asks if it is pity or curiosity.

On the rooftop, Si Young tells Yoo that they can give her more medicines or do more surgeries for the pain. Yoo Says that won’t cure her as her face won’t return back to normal. She says she didn’t want this illness. She asks why they can’t let her choose to free herself from this.

Yoo says her son told her that she was the prettiest in the world. She says she wants her son to remember her that way. She asks them to help her end the pain without having to jump.

Son watches a butterfly outside his office window.

Si Young and the others stand rooted to their spot. Yoo says they can’t give her what she is asking. Yoo turns around and gets ready to jump when Won Hee says that this isn’t the type of wish he meant. He asks her how they can grant a wish like that. Tears trickle down Yoo’s face as Won Hee asks her not to do it.

Yo Ri Hye turns around and says, “Doctors, sometimes telling one not to die is even worse than telling them to die.” To their shock, Yoo Ri Hye jumps off the railing. Everyone stands frozen in shock but Si-young runs downstairs immediately. Yoo Joon gathers himself and follows Si Young. Heo Joon and Mi Rae follow them. Won Hee stands there in shock but he too follows them.

Si Young and Yoo Joon catch up with the paramedics. Si Young starts with the first aid as they tell her Yoo isn’t breathing. She notes the oxygen saturation is 78 but intubation will be difficult because of the nasal bleeding.

As they intubate Yoo, Eun Jeong watches from the crowd. Woo Hee rushes in and Mi Rae explains that the bleeding from the nasal tumour caused respiratory failure. Eun Jeong watches as they wheel Yoo Ri Hye into the emergency room.

Yoo’s sister starts crying and Si Young holds her as they wheel the gurney into the Emergency room.

Later, Yoo is placed on the ventilator. Suddenly the ventilator’s monitor displays an error prompt and it switches off.

A person walks towards the elevator in a black suit (looks like Son).

Heo Joon is out of breath as he runs into the meeting room and informs the others that someone turned off the Yoo Ri Hye’s ventilator. Won Hee is silent as everyone gets up in shock.

A nurse walks into the Yoo Ri Hye’s room to find Cha Yo han next to the ventilator which is switched off. Cha Yo han is tensed as the nurse runs out of the room screaming.

Image Courtesy- SBS

Review

Well, that spiralled out of control really fast.

Cha Yo Han finally agreed to take Si Young’s help. It was refreshing to see a smiling and cheerful Si Young. The scene at Subway followed by the scene in the park were a pleasant watch. It was good to see the pair spending time together and talking light-heartedly.

It looks like Yo Han is not the only one who is sick. Both Prosecutor Son and Lawyer Han seem to be sick too.

I wonder which doctor Lee Won Gil was talking about when he mentioned ‘the Doctor’ who got the output. Also, I wonder what the drug ‘Kerobim’ is meant to do.

After seeing this episode, it does make one wonder if Yo Han really did euthanize Seong Kyu in the first place. I wonder if Yo Han will even tell someone what really happened that day.

Yo han definitely didn’t switch off Yoo Ri Hye’s ventilator. He was just seen in the room. Dr Kim Won Hee, on the other hand, didn’t seem surprised when Heo Joon rushed in to give the news that the ventilator was turned off. It looks like he could be the one who did it.

Also, Nurse Eun Jeong had a disappointed look on her face when she saw that Yo Han’s team saved Yoo Ri Hye from dying due to the fall. Considering the fact that Eun Jeong had learnt about Yoo Ri Hye’s son the previous day, I wonder if she had any part to play in the son’s refusal to see his mother. She has already been portrayed as an obsessive woman who goes to any length to get what she wants using unethical methods.

Yo Han’s test result turned out to be complicated. The disease Viral Labyrinthitis (rare disease) is treatable but the fact that he can’t take the steroids is causing a life-threatening complication.

Cha Yo Han comes across as a person who is determined to live as a doctor till the last day of his life. I wonder how he plans to this while most of his time is spent on court cases.

Yo Han seemed genuinely tensed and shocked when the nurse walked in. Given the fact that Yo Han wasn’t even in the hospital the whole day, it looks like he didn’t have much time to grasp what happened. So, I wonder if he is taking the fall for someone or if he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Prosecutor Son seems to be on the right track for the first time since the series started. Though nothing much is explained about his thoughts, it looks like he has an idea as to what is going on. I wonder if he is the one who is going to end up on Yo Han’s side rather than Lawyer Han.

It is interesting how a butterfly is always shown in the significant scenes. Butterflies do not feel pain. Though they possess the sense of touch, their nervous system does not have pain receptors that register pain. This relates to the same condition as that of a CIPA patient (Yo Han).

It looks like the plot is going back to where it all started. I hope the outcome will be different this time though. I look forward to seeing the next week’s episodes as it seems like the important part of the plot will be unravelled in them.